The 5 best fisheye lenses for your Canon camera in 2023
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The 5 best fisheye lenses for your Canon camera in 2023
Editor's Choice
Best for Beginners
Best for Pro's
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7Artisans 10mm f/2.8 Fisheye
The 7Artisans 10mm is a fully manual fisheye lens producing images of unbeatable quality and sharpness, as well as negligible color fringing and no chromatic aberration. Its solid metal...
Samyang 12mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye
The Samyang 12mm is a full-frame diagonal fisheye lens available for a wide range of mounting systems, capable of producing images of impressive sharpness and with minimal color fringing...
Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM
The 8-15mm is an incredibly versatile fisheye among Canon lenses that allows you to switch between diagonal and circular effects with an easy twist of the zoom ring. On full-frame cameras...
If you want an extremely wide-angle view for your photography, then a fisheye lens is your ticket! These lenses will give you a substantial barrel distortion to create a unique and bold look. Explore our top 5 picks of the best fisheye lenses for Canon - discover their key features, main strengths, and our verdict!
Looking for something less artsy in the world of optics? Find everything you need to know about lenses in our guide to camera equipment.
Editor's choice
7Artisans 10mm f/2.8 Fisheye
Pros
Compatible with full-frame cameras
Stepless ‘de-clicked’ aperture ring
Superb image quality for a fisheye
Cons
Not weather-sealed
Manual focus
No electronic contacts
Specs
Full frame cameras compatibility
Yes
Mount
Nikon Z, Canon RF, Sony FE
Field of view
178-degree
Aperture range
f/2.8 to f/22
Autofocus
No
Minimum focusing distance
6.7"
Additional features
De-clicked aperture ring
Weight
570g
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Features
Sturdy build and comfortable handling
The build quality of the 7Artisans lens is very convincing: it features some extensive use of sturdy metal parts for the barrel, the mounting plate, the built-in hood made to protect the protruding front element, and the slip-on lens hood. Handling is extremely refined, with the lens being compact at just 87x68mm and relatively lightweight at 570g. The two control rings work smoothly, with long rotational travel for the focus ring and a ‘de-clicked’ operation for the aperture ring.
Short minimum focus distance
The minimum focus distance is impressively short - only 0.17m, meaning you can get up very close to objects and exaggerate the fisheye perspective effect. The lack of in-built autofocus is compensated by a vast depth of field. With an aperture of f/5.6 or narrower, you can set the focus ring to the 0.6m marking for shooting everything other than extreme close-ups.
Image excellence and all-round sharpness
The 7Artisans 10mm lens offers pictorial excellence in every respect. You will get the extreme barrel distortion that you’d expect from a fisheye, and that’s part of this lens’ charm. For a fisheye, this lens offers excellent sharpness from the center to the extreme edges and corners of the frame, even with the aperture of f/2.8. The lens does a great job of suppressing chromatic aberrations and bringing color fringing to the minimum.
Final verdict
Is it worth it?
The 7Artisans 10mm is a fully manual fisheye lens producing images of unbeatable quality and sharpness, as well as negligible color fringing and no chromatic aberration. Its solid metal build in the barrel, integral hood, mounting plate, and front lens cap is one of its strengths, making the lens a reliable and sturdy gear. It’s easy and delightful to use, and its feature richness makes it one of the strongest fisheye lenses on the market. All that for an extremely competitive price makes this lens a great alternative for pricier options with similar features.
Best for beginners
Samyang 12mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye
Pros
Wide range of mount options
Wide range of mount options
Resistant to ghosting and flare
Detachable hood
Cons
No autofocus
Unprotected front element
No weather sealing
Specs
Full frame cameras optimization
Yes
Mount
Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sony A, Canon M, Fujifilm X, Samsung NX, Sony E, MFT
Field of view
180-degree
Aperture range
f/2.8 – f/22
Autofocus
No
Minimum focusing distance
7.9”
Stabilization
No
Weight
565g
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Best features
Impressive image sharpness with minimum color fringes
The Samyang 12mm lens is capable of delivering impressively sharp and crisp images across the whole image frame, from corners to the center, while keeping the color fringing levels to the minimum. The brand’s Nano Coating System effectively reduces ghosting and flare, and the automatic chromatic aberration correction does an excellent job of removing color fringing without the use of filters.
Solid aluminum build
The frame of this Samyang lens is made of super-strong aluminum alloy to make it sturdy and reliable. Featuring 7 aperture blades, the lens is designed to become almost a full circle when the aperture is closed. It also features a detachable petal-shaped hood that effectively contributes to minimizing flare and ghosting. Since you can’t use a protective filter or a UV filter on this lens, it’s a good idea to keep the hood on all the time when shooting - this way, you’ll protect the bulbous front from knocks.
Final verdict
Is it worth it?
The Samyang 12mm is a full-frame diagonal fisheye lens available for a wide range of mounting systems, capable of producing images of impressive sharpness and with minimal color fringing, along with resistance to ghosting and flare. It’s a completely manual lens when used with the majority of cameras, only enabling aperture control from the camera body with a Nikon F mount. Although it doesn’t have in-built autofocus, the focusing system is still functioning well.
This lens is one of the widest to work with full-frame cameras, but despite this feature and its f2.8 aperture, it’s still lightweight and compact. With the 180-degree diagonal field of view, the lens delivers a curved fisheye distortion that looks great when the lens is used effectively. It’s well-priced for the included features and comes with a good projection.
Best for Pro's
Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM
Pros
Circular and diagonal fisheye
Great image quality
Solid all-round performance
Cons
Versatility lost on APS-C sensors
Color fringing can be noticeable
Pricey
Specs
Full frame cameras optimization
Yes
Mount
Canon EF
Field of view
180-Degree
Aperture range
f/4 – f/22
Autofocus
Yes
Minimum focusing distance
6.2”
Stabilization
No
Additional features
Has both circular and diagonal effects
Weight
540g
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Best features
Excellent build quality and weather sealing
Thanks to the metal body and smoothly operating control rings, the build quality of this Canon lens is top-notch. The lens extends and retracts a little when zooming because of the linear focus extension system. The body is equipped with weather sealing and dust resistance, and the front and rear elements come with a fluorine anti-smear coating. At 540g, the lens isn’t large but definitely feels substantial, balancing on both the ful-frame and APS-C camera bodies. It also features a stippled black matte finish.
Fast and effective autofocus
The only lens on our list with in-built autofocus, the Canon 8-15 mm autofocusing is extremely fast and accurate thanks to the ultrasonic motor. Full-time manual autofocus adjustments are also supported in this lens. There is no hyperfocal scale, though, which can sometimes be useful with fisheye lenses, but this feature is rather an additional type that doesn’t anyhow make the user experience of the 8-15mm worse.
Superb image quality and flare resistance
Images produced with this lens are detailed and sharp, even when viewed at full magnification. The Canon 8-15mm features flare resistance which helps enhance the image quality even further. Sometimes you can notice some light color fringing if you use the lens with older Canon cameras with no automatic correction. Don’t get discouraged, though: it’s something that can be easily removed at post-production.
Final verdict
Is it worth it?
The 8-15mm is an incredibly versatile fisheye among Canon lenses that allows you to switch between diagonal and circular effects with an easy twist of the zoom ring. On full-frame cameras, its features peak in efficiency - it’s a hard-to-beat lens in terms of versatility. The image quality is excellent - the lens produces sharp and contrasting pictures, with resistance to ghosting and flare.
This lens is a flexible option for Canon photographers - it’s suitable for multiple Canon bodies with different sensor sizes, offering superb optical quality. The build quality is an evident step up from the discontinued EF 15mm f/2.8 fisheye lens: the current one boats weather-sealed, reliable construction. the Canon 8-15mm comes at a higher-than-average price point, so might not be best suitable for beginners, but is definitely a ticket for professionals.
Rokinon 8mm f/3.5 HD Fisheye
Pros
Stellar image quality on a full-frame camera
Reliable build
Affordable price
Cons
No autofocus
Slight color fringing issues
Specs
Full frame cameras optimization
Yes
Mount
Nikon F
Field of view
180-Degree
Aperture range
f/3.5 – f/22
Autofocus
No
Minimum focusing distance
12″
Stabilization
No
Weight
428g
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Features
Easy to use & features a refined focusing ring
The Rokinon 8mm f3.5 is super simple to use if you’re used to shooting with manual lenses. When mounted on the camera, the lens will need the aperture of f/22 for the camera to control the aperture settings. Focusing the lens is done manually with the large and well-designed focusing ring. The lens is comfortable and easy to operate, feels good in the hand, and is perfectly balanced with any camera.
Superb image quality with unique color rendering
The Rokinon 8mm delivers exceptional image quality - you will just need to get used to the lens and its capabilities. To get the best results, consider slightly underexposing the images - this will require you to shoot in manual mode. With this Rokinon lens, the images, all detailed and beautifully color rendered, get a unique metallic look.
Final verdict
Is it worth it?
The Rokinon 8mm is a great affordable fisheye lens to get your creativity flowing. The lens gives a wide 180-degree field of view with dramatic, exaggerated perspective, and can capture beautiful images with unique color rendering. It’s solidly constructed and delivers excellent image quality thanks to its hybrid aspherical elements and multi-layer coating.
The focus system is smooth and well-dampened: maybe, not ideal for professional creators, but will definitely suit the needs of amateur photographers. The package includes locking lens caps for both ends of the lens and a storage pouch. Long story short, for its price, the Rokinon 8mm lens does its job beautifully and will work well to help you complete a portfolio for enthusiast creators.
Samyang 8mm f/3.5 UMC Fish-Eye CS II
Pros
Detachable hood
Wide range of mount options
Decent build quality
Competitive price point
Cons
No autofocus
Only the Nikon version has a camera-based aperture control
Susceptible to ghosting
Specs
Full frame cameras optimization
No
Mount
DSLR cameras with APS-C sensors
Field of view
180-degree
Aperture range
f/3.5 to f/22
Autofocus
No
Minimum focusing distance
11.81"
Additional features
Multi-coating, removable lens hood
Weight
450g
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Features
Suitable for a wide variety of mounts
With the Samyang 8mm lens, there is no shortage in the number of suitable mounts: you can attach it to Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sony A, Canon M, Fujifilm X, Samsung NX, Sony E, MFT, and basically any APS-C-based DSLR. It’s primarily designed for crop-sensor cameras, and its angle of view varies with different options. For most APS-C cameras, you will get a 180-degree view, while for Canon EF and M mount editions it will shrink to 167-degree and will get you only 139 degrees for Micro Four Thirds.
Solid build
Weighing 455g and being equipped with 10 elements in 7 groups, the lens feels solid and sturdy, with a mix of external plastics and internal metals with a metal mount. The lens is designed to be super steady: nothing wobbles out of place, making the lens capable of handling some bumping in your backpack with no risk of damage. Both rings function seamlessly, and the design of the lens will also appeal to many, with a middle red ring and discreet markings printed on the body.
Final verdict
Is it worth it?
The Samyang 8mm CS II fisheye lens offers great build quality, special toothed rings, varied mounting options, and decent image quality. The optical parameters of this lens are high thanks to the hybrid aspherical element and anti-reflection UMC coatings. It provides a diagonal field of view equal to a maximum of 180 degrees, with a minimum focusing distance is only 0.3 meters.
Using this lens with the Nikon F mount, you will get an additional electronic circuit to control exposure parameters from the camera level and enjoy the benefits provided by the i-TTL flash system. Other detailed parameters like the range of available apertures, focal length, and focus confirmation will make the shooting even more comfortable. Although this lens might not be a winner among other capable fisheye lenses, it’s still one of the best in the market and totally worth the price.
Featured fisheye lenses
7Artisans 10mm f/2.8 Fisheye
It’s easy and delightful to use, and its feature richness makes it one of the strongest fisheye lenses on the market. All that for an extremely competitive price makes this lens a great alternative for pricier options with similar features.
Samyang 12mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye
This lens is one of the widest to work with full-frame cameras, but despite this feature and its f2.8 aperture, it’s still lightweight and compact. With the 180-degree diagonal field of view, the lens delivers a curved fisheye distortion that looks great when the lens is used effectively. It’s well-priced for the included features and comes with a good projection.
Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM
he build quality is an evident step up from the discontinued EF 15mm f/2.8 fisheye lens: the current one boats weather-sealed, reliable construction. the Canon 8-15mm comes at a higher-than-average price point, so might not be best suitable for beginners, but is definitely a ticket for professionals.
Rokinon 8mm f/3.5 HD Fisheye
The focus system is smooth and well-dampened: maybe, not ideal for professional creators, but will definitely suit the needs of amateur photographers. The package includes locking lens caps for both ends of the lens and a storage pouch.
Samyang 8mm f/3.5 UMC Fish-Eye CS II
Although this lens might not be a winner among other capable fisheye lenses, it’s still one of the best in the market and totally worth the price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Canon fisheye lens?
A Canon fisheye lens is a wide-angle lens that creates circular or diagonal images with exaggerated perspective and distortion, suitable for Canon cameras.
How do you get the Canon fisheye effect on a Canon camera?
You will need to get a Canon-suitable fisheye lens - the top 5 are Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM, Samyang 12mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye, Rokinon 8mm f/3.5 HD Fisheye, Samyang 8mm f/3.5 UMC Fish-Eye CS II, and 7Artisans 10mm f/2.8 Fisheye.
Are Canon fisheye lenses good?
The Canon fisheye lenses will give you a unique extreme wide-angle view while keeping image sharpness and sometimes even depth of field.
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How we picked the best
We looked at all the Canon fisheye lenses currently available and considered the average user’s needs when using a fisheye lens on a camera.
Correct focal length
The vast majority of DSLR photographers shoot with APS-C-sized sensors with a crop factor of 1.5x –1.6x times. Don’t forget about the influence the crop has on the final focal length of the lens you’re attaching. If you’re shooting with a full frame camera, you will need a lens with a focal length of between 15 and 16mm. If you choose a camera with an APS-C-sized sensor, you will need something in the 8 to 11 mm range.
Build quality
The design, build, and material of any lens will ensure its durability, and fisheye lenses aren’t an exception. Select the fisheye lens that can tolerate weather, pressure, and damage - on our list, we paid attention to weather sealing and dust resistance.
Excellent imaging
The ability to deliver crisp images is crucial for fisheye lenses, whether they’re diagonal or circular. We chose the top 5 lenses that deliver stellar quality, detail, and sharpness all around the frame.
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